This species from southeastern Brazil occurs in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Paraná. Populations in the states of Espírito Santo (Almeida and Angulo, 2006) and Santa Catarina (Kwet, 2007) were recently found not to be conspecific with Leptodactylus marmoratus. The species ranges up to 1200 masl.

Habitat and Ecology

It is a diurnal species that lives on the ground in primary and secondary forest, and also in clearings and on the forest edge, as well as in gardens. Males commonly call from the ground under vegetation in the late afternoons. The eggs are laid on the ground; tadpoles live and develop in the leaf-litter outside water.

Population

It is a very common species. It experienced a population decline at Estação Biológica de Boracéia, but has since rebounded and is abundant again.

Population Trend

Stable

Major Threats

The major threats are probably related to habitat loss due to agriculture, clear-cutting and human settlement.

Conservation Actions

It occurs in many protected areas.

Taxonomic Notes

This species is a complex of several cryptic species. Kwet (2007) recently removed Leptodactylus nanus from the synonymy with Leptodactylus marmoratus.